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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
 
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Services like tvaddons and popcorn time have pirated content. Verizon in particular takes a dim view of it. Use with caution.
https://torrentfreak.com/verizons-six- ... measures-unveiled-130111/
Posted on: 2015/7/24 16:40
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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By the way -- don't bother with the addon "Project Free TV" use 1Channel, IceFilms or SALTS (short for Stream All the Sources) All these "addons" really just point to the endless always changing sources out there. Sounds complicated but it is not. Just like the sources always changing names so do these sites -- and "Project Free TV" is in the middle of such a change -- TVaddons will keep you with working addons and good sources. Just try there site. I dedicate a cheap Quad android stick to watching -- just to keep it away from my real computers -- but any computer or tablet can do any of this too. http://www.tvaddons.ag/
Posted on: 2015/7/24 16:25
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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Try it -- there are no commercials -- lots of sources. It is mind blowing. If a source has buffering issues -- pause it and give it a minute -- or try a different source. There is also lots of live streaming of USA, UK, Canadian or Australian channels -(as well as most other countries) - but except for news you are better off with "On Demand" type use -- no commercials. No one is making money -- it is global -- like Wiki run by countless volunteers. The endless sources change names to keep one step ahead of ever being stopped -- this has been going on for years below most Roku users radar. TVAddOns makes it now easy for a novice to set up.
http://www.tvaddons.ag/
Posted on: 2015/7/24 10:06
Edited by GrovePath on 2015/7/24 10:22:15
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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Knew about Usenet and Torrents, but hadn't really heard about this "segment". What pays for the bandwidth? are there commercials onscreen all the time like Youtube?
Posted on: 2015/7/24 3:53
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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I like using a single purpose android quad stick with a K400 keyboard to watch TV -- but you can use any type of device --and can watch any TV show or movie for free.
See the TVAddons link below to get started. Once setup, you can use "Project Free TV" or "1Channel" -- but there are many others -- and all do the same thing. You can watch every TV show (Worldwide) within an hour of it airing, even movies that are still in the theaters -- and hard to believe -- you can watch "on demand" almost every movie and TV show ever made -- and all for FREE. (click tvaddons link below) http://www.tvaddons.ag/ Here is a great Android device: http://www.amazon.com/Android-Streami ... =1&ie=UTF8&qid=1437698566 Here is a great Keyboard: http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Wirele ... ch-Touchpad/dp/B00ENZRP0G Keep in mind there is really no difference watching these vs watching Youtubes -- as an end user you are doing nothing wrong -- most Youtubes are not put up by the copyright holders either. You can also use tvaddons on an Amazon Fire Stick http://www.androidguys.com/2015/07/21 ... he-ultimate-media-center/
Posted on: 2015/7/24 0:49
Edited by GrovePath on 2015/7/24 1:05:32
Edited by GrovePath on 2015/7/24 1:10:13 |
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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The Roku will handle Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu and most internet tv without the need for a PC. And $20 will get you a decent dvd player if you have a library. Only really worth hooking up a PC if you're going the WMC/HTPC/DVR route. For casual use there are better choices - for example Chromecast doesn't cost much more than a HDMI cable.
Posted on: 2015/7/24 0:34
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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Zactly. It's so much easier to use the web Netflix interface than the one in the SmartTV.
Posted on: 2015/7/24 0:27
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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By the way, hooking up a PC (or even a laptop) to the TV is not difficult actually. Hardware-wise, it's just connecting the HMDI cables. Software-wise, there's really nothing to install. We watch Prime videos and hulu through the web browser. And most PCs already have software to play the DVD drive.
I find the cable box (just got the new X1 cable box from Comcast) most aggravating and difficult to use, actually. It's so slow, and impossible to search anything! It's begging me to throw it out of the window!!!
Posted on: 2015/7/24 0:03
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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The OP had issues setting up a Roku. Trouble with any tech - particularly internet-based tv - is fixing things when it goes wrong. I use the power-cycle rule - if it's not a simple unplug/replug to fix - then it's probably too complicated for non-tech folks.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 23:45
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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The $3 fee you are paying isn't taxes, they are a cable company fee that they are adding to the price of your package to pay for fees that they pay to the local stations in our area. It's like buying a $4 loaf of bread, but then being told you have to kick in another $1.95 for half the slices in the middle. They should just be honest and raise the price of the overall package and drop the fee. What I'd like to see really happen is that they break out the costs for each and every channel they sell you. For instance, I wonder how many people know that while each of the 4 major broadcast nets (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) charge a dollar or two, ESPN alone is up around $6 then add dollars or more for each of the other sports networks. Sports is simply the biggest hidden expense.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 21:32
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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"Building an HTPC" is not what it used to be. All you need is a PC with Windows Media Center, and a USB tuner dongle. It's not rocket science. I use a Logitech wireless trackball & keyboard with it. As a bonus, assuming you have at least a 40" screen, you get a PC that everyone can comfortably sit and look at rather than hunching around a monitor, extremely useful given the amount of web based homework given now.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 19:29
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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Yes, that is very true. But, since the OP indicated they are not tech savvy, and nothing was said about DVR functionality being a hard requirement, I figured the OTA solution would fit the bill.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 17:28
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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We had Comcast internet only for the last year, and here's our setup:
- 7-yr old TV - Comcast Internet only. No phone and no TV channel subscriptions; - we have a old PC hooked up directly to the TV, with wireless keyboard. This could replace your Roku (or whatever equivalent). The PC also has a built-in DVD player; - I also subscribe to Hulu, amazon prime, and Netflix (DVDs, not streaming). This pretty much satisfies our family needs (husband is a movie buff, two little kids that like kiddie shows); - for phone: I brought the OBI (for $30 on sale) hooked up to my google voice account. One time cost, and no monthly fees. Works very well; - and the occasional visit to a bar for my husband when he couldn't find a game that streams (we watched superbowl streamed for free online this year); So, out of pocket per month (approx) is: $54 (comcast) + $8 (hulu) + $13 (Netflix for 2 DVD plan) + Prime (which I mainly use for shopping actually, so I don't count the cost here). And my Comcast year-long "contract" just ended actually, so I just signed up for their "Blast Plus with X1" plan, which totals about $60 per month (base plan is about $55 or so, but now you have to pay taxes on the TV channels), but you get local channels plus HBO and showtime free. So I'll probably cancel my Netflix now. One of the biggest benefit in my opinion is that my kids no longer have to watch the crappy commercials on TV anymore.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 14:56
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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OTA HDTV is pretty amazing. The expense and hassle comes if you want to set up a dvr and record shows. You can build a HTPC or buy a box and service like Tivo - but you won't get huge savings over basic cable.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 13:41
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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All good suggestions, but you left out the idea of using an HDTV antenna for local channels. The quality of over-the-air TV is incredible with the new HDTV broadcasts. For a one-time $20 investment, you can get a decent antenna that will get you awesome local TV without having to pay Verizon a monthly fee for the same stuff.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 13:08
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Re: options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Home away from home
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Start by getting a friend to set up your Roku. Toughest piece is going to options/network settings and putting in your wireless router id/password.
After that, you'll should have access to amazon prime, and can try out both netflix and hulu - and decide what you like and what you don't. They all have plenty of content - but you have to pay for episodes of the latest shows. A lot have people have cut the cable for internet-based tv. A good compromise might be to keep the basic channels on fios, and use netflix/hulu/amazon for shows and movies. For phone, use your cellphone, or get a voip box like Ooma or Vonage.
Posted on: 2015/7/23 4:40
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options for TV for a non- tech savvy person
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Newbie
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I currently have Verizon fios for internet, phone and TV. My 2 year commitment has ended and I think I'm getting rid of my land line. I just got a roku because I have amazon prime but don't really know how to set it up. Will I need Netflix and hulu? (Neither of which I've used before). Any suggestions? Should I keep Verizon for internet and ditch them for phone and cable?
Posted on: 2015/7/23 3:50
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